skyrockets

ATLANTA — The state says Georgia unemployment claims more than doubled last week. The state issued orders Thursday softening the rules for those collecting unemployment while stretching the amount of time they can collect.

From March 15 to 21, the state Labor Department says it received 12,140 claims. The previous week, there were 5445.

The Labor Department issued a new rule Thursday extending from 14 to 26 the number of weeks a claimant can collect unemployment.

The state also loosened its rules on incidental outside income, allowing an individual making up to $300 per week in a job to still claim full unemployment benefits.

“The year was actually going pretty good,” said Phil Colvin, who has seven tattoo artists working in his two Atlanta shops.

“We were getting busier and busier, and as soon as the corona virus started hitting, we saw the business starting to drop,” Colvin